Schaft coupling



Get. 2 1923.

F. G. HUGHES SHAFT COUPLING Filed June' 16 1921 BY tan 4 A; ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 2, 1923 UNITED s'r rs-s;

1,469,304 I PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK G. HUGHES, OI BRISTOL, COIHEC'I'ICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE NEW DEPAR- TUBE KAHUI'ACTUBING COMPANY, 01' BRISTOL, CONNECTICUT, ACORPORATION 01' CONNECTICU '1'.

Application and June 10,1921. Serial no. 471,921.

Tooll wlwm it'may com-em.-

I Be it known that I, Faannnrox G. Huonns,

a citizen of the United States, residin at Bristol, county of Hartford, State "of onnecticut, have invented a certain new and useful Shaft Coupling, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as'will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to'the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

-My invention relates to improvements in shaft couplings, and, although not limited to such use, is particularly adapted to couple shafts -or shaft-sections of an automobile or the like.

My object is to provide a structure adapted to etliciently drive one part from the other and having the assembled parts so tightly and securely held together that play between arts is prevented and rattling and wear, and consequent loss of efliciency,

are obviated. 2 To these ends, and also to improve generally upon devices of the character indicated, my invention consists in the various matters hereinafter described'and claimed. In the accompanying drawings: Fi re 80 1 is a longitudinal view, partly in section; Figure 2 is a cross-section on about the line "2-2 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows; Figure 3 is a perspective of one of the shafts; Figure 4 is a pers ective, partly in section, of a fragment of t e coupling sleeve; and Figure 5 is a view generally similar to Figure 1 but showing a modification.

In the illustrated embodiment of my invention A and B indicate shafts to be connected (as for example, the shaft driven by the engine of a motor car and the shaft transmitting the power to the usual wheel shafts), while 1 is a coupling sleeve. The shafts are provided with longitudinal channels 2 which produce intermediate longitudinal ribs or splines 3, and corresponding longitudinal channels 4 and ribs or splines 5 are provided in the sleeve 1, these lattermentioned channels extending through the sleeve from end to end, and the sleeve-channels snugly receiving the shaft ribs while the shaft-channels snugly receive the sleeve ribs, so that, through the sleeve, torque is transmitted from one shaft to the other.

Also, wedging connection is provided between the shafts and the sleeve, so that looseness between these elements is prevented and there is thus obviated wear upon the splines due to strikin or moving of one against the other thereo In the form shown in Figures 1 to 4, inclusive, each shaft-end is tapered into a truncated cone 6 whose smaller diameter is the extremity of the shaft while its larger 05 diameter corresponds with the shaft diameter at the bottoms of the channels 2. The ribs or splines 3 stop at this larger side of the ta ered shaft-end 6. The sleeve 1 has a thic ened central portion 7 whose middle diameter, 8, is less than the smaller diameter of the tapered shaft-ends, .and whose bore flares outwardly in both directions from its middle and upon a slant. corresponding to thatof the shaft-ends 6, so that tapered sockets are thusprovided for these shaft-ends. The sleeve channels 4, however,'extend through the central ortion 7 with the channel bottoms on a ine with those portions of the channel bottoms in the end portions of the sleeve, so that, not

'only can these sleeve channels be produced by a single, straight out of a proper machine-tool, but also, as the shaft-channels:

2 are elongated beyond the ends of the sleeve, no obstruction is presented to the splines as the shafts move inwardy in t e sleeve, and thus, notwithstanding the splines, the shafts can be forced into the sleeve until the tapered ends 6 are firmly 9o seated and wedged into the tapered sockets 7, so that the parts are thus firmly held against 'relative lateral play. Preferably, after the'shafts are firmly wedged into the sleeve they are further secured in position, and fastened against relative longitudinal movement, by pins 9 driven through the sleeve and the shaft-ends, these pins being desirably driven at right angles to each other whereby undue weakening of the sleeve is guarded against.

By making the tapered portion the end of the shaft and locating the splines upon the shafts bod portion, the shaft is not weakened by re uction for the taper, the splined, driving, body portion of the shaft remaining ofunimpaired strength notwithstanding provision of a tapered portion.

In the form shown by Figure 5 the struc-. ture is similar to that already described ex- 110 eept that instead of providing. the lain tapered shaftsends 6, the shafts, X, are

wardly to the middle of the sleeve, the diof the same diameter throughout the1r whole portions which cooperate with the sleeve ,10 and the channel bottoms 20 of the shafts incline upwardly from the extremity ofthe shaft to a point beyond that which the sleeve-endcan occupy when the parts are assembled; while the sleeve-ribs are correspondingly inclined from the sleeve ends inameter, 80, at the plane at-which the ribs meetv being less than the smallest diameter ofthe shafts. In this way long\tapered sockets are provided in the sleeve for the tapered portions of the shafts, so that, the bottoms of the sleeve channels 10 extending straight from end to end of the sleeve as explained in connection Wlth',tl'l8 channels 4, the shafts can be wedged tightly into the sleeve notwithstanding t e splines, 30 of the shafts and 50 of the sleeve. Pins 90 are preferably driven through the sleeve and shafts for the purpose previously indicated.

-'Ihus in my coupling positive driving is insured through the splines but notwithstanding these splines the shafts are firmly wedged into the sleeves so that, even under vibration, lateral movement between the a sleeve and. a shaft, each provided with cog and also having its end beyond sald body operating splines, said shaft having a tapered portion and said sleeve havin a cooperatlng tapered socket, the said sphnes of the shaft being upon thebody-portion of the latter and the said tapered portion of said shaft extending beyond said body portion; substantially as described.

2. In a device of the character indicated,

a shaft having splines upon its body ortion,

ma a

port ontapered and a sleeve having cooperatmg sphnesand also having a tapered socket cooperating with said tapered end of said shaft; substantially as described.-

3. In a shaft coupling, a sleeve having a. tapered socket, longitudinal ribsupon said sleeve and separated by grooves, a shaft having a tapered portion, and longitudinal ribs upon said shaft adapted to be received v having a pair of sockets tapering inwardly toward each other, longitudinal ribs upon said sleeve and having grooves between, a pair of shafts provided with tapered portions wedgmgly received in said sockets, and longitudinal ribs upon said shafts and received in said grooves of said sleeve and separated by grooves which receive said ribs of said sleeve, said shafts being of such length that they are out of engagement with each other when seated in said sockets, and the said grooves of said sleeve and shafts extending respectively beyond the ends of the ribs received in them when the said shafts are so seated;-substantially as described.

5. In a shaft coupling, a sleeve provided with longitudinal splinesand having a tapered socket beyond which the said splines extend, a shaft having a tapered portion adapted to seat in said socket, andsplines upon said shaft terminating before entering upon said tapered portion of the shaft and.

adapted to cooperate with the splines of said sleeve; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afix my signature.

FREDERICK e. HUGHES. 

